CZ is perhaps the most widely used brand of pistols for competition. CZ is dominating the competition scene with all-steel models such as the Shadow 2 or the TS 2. It’s safe to assume that CZ knows how to build a race gun. CZ recently changed the rules about how a competition pistol should look. CZ has changed the game with its P-10 F CR (Competition Ready) pistol. The 2021 Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous in Idaho saw the CZ P-10F CR for the first time. CZ reworked a few aspects of the P-10 F platform. This competition pistol is different from its standard offerings in appearance and feel. It is also available at an affordable price for those who are just starting out in the game. Polymer Launch Pad CZ’s standard P-10 F pistol is the full-size version of the P-10 series of striker-fired, polymer-framed pistols. The 9mm P-10 F is a large double-stack pistol with 19-round magazines natively accepted. It measures 8 inches in length and 1.26 inches wide. The slide is finished in nitride and has a 4.5-inch cold hammer-forged barrel. The P-10 F is a large pistol, but it only weighs 28.2 ounces. CZ added a few new features to the P-10 F and added some bling. The body’s ornate gold accents are what first catches the eye. The factory barrel is also treated with a titanium-nitride, gold, and silver finish. The chamber has been redesigned to work reliably with a wider range of ammunition. The Apex Tactical aluminum slide cover plate and Henning Group magazine bases plates are gold anodized. The HB Industries Theta trigger, which is also made of aluminum, is also gold anodized. A fiber-optic front sight is included in the P-10 F, instead of a dot-style one. The P-10 F Competition Ready also features a blacked out and serrated rear sight. The “double-cut” slide serations at the front are another difference. On a standard P-10 F, the front serrations are a simple set that runs along the side. The Competition-Ready model has a second set directly above the first set. This set is machined into a tri-top-style angle that slopes to the slide’s crest. These are identical to the rear serrations found on standard P-10 F pistols. The P-10 F Competition Ready: The P-10 F Competition Ready features an aluminum HB Industries flat-face trigger unit. Comparing it to my P-10 F trigger, I found very little difference in the weight and crispness of the break. This compliments the factory trigger on the P-10 F. The trigger on my P-10 F does have a good amount of pretravel. The pre-travel is almost eliminated by the HB Industries trigger for the competition P-10 F, with just a few millimeters movement before the wall. A competition-oriented feature includes a longer, reversible magazine release and an ambidextrous slide stop/release. CZ includes three 19-round magazines inside the case to help users get started quickly. CZ plans to sell the Henning Group base plates in gold as standalone items on its web store. The complete magazines are also available from the company. The P-10 F Competition Ready retains some tactical features. The extra-large triggerguard is ideal for gloved fingers, and the Picatinny rail can be used to attach accessories such as lights or lasers. The semi-aggressive grip texture of the competition version provides excellent control and traction. The P-10 F Competition-Ready comes with two additional backstraps to adjust the fit to individual hand sizes. The slide-ready optics cut is the last and most important feature. A quality red-dot device can make a big difference in speed and accuracy when you use the P-10 F Competition Ready for defense or sport. The pistol does come without adapter plates for red dots units. CZ sells plates for different optics in its online store. Lightweight Ears I was inspired by the high-speed, low drag competition environment and took the time to try Axil’s GS3 Custom earbuds. I wanted ear protection that was lightweight and would hold its place even during intense activity. This set fits the bill perfectly. Axil has a range of earbuds, with the GS3 Custom being its highest-tier offering. The GS3 Custom uses ear molds provided by the customer, rather than rubber or foam fittings. The GS3 Custom that I received fit well in my ears and was able to be seated in my ear canal. The hard acrylic shell meant that I had to insert the buds gently. Once they were in place, they were almost forgotten about. The GS3 Custom provides 29 decibels of noise reduction, blocking out all noise above 85 decibels. The GS3 Custom allows users to continue normal conversations even though the buds are in place. The Bluetooth functionality was something I grew to love about the GS3 Custom. I spent a lot of time at range testing guns for articles. It is easy to turn on the Bluetooth radio and pair it up with your smartphone. This allows you to make calls and stream audio. I was busy shooting groups and was not able to listen or podcast while I was doing other tedious tasks. I was also able to read Jack Carr’s book, as well as music and podcasts. The Axil GS3 Custom Ear Pro can be operated from the GS3 unit. This seemed a bit gimmicky at first. It was addictive once I tried it. This could also be used to pass the time while hunting. The GS3 Custom also allows you to stream your favorite audio so that you can spend time in the woods. It also offers 6x hearing enhancement. Even if you don’t want to dance to your favorite disco beats while you hike, the GS3 Custom will give you an extra edge over your quarry. The battery is a lithium-ion and provides 12 hours of use before it needs to be recharged via the micro-USB port. This worked well for me as I have a large Anker power brick that I use while on the move to charge a few other pieces of gear. It also worked perfectly with my GS3 Custom. It’s a great piece of gear, with a MSRP of $699. It may seem expensive to some, but if your passion is hunting or shooting, the GS3 Custom is well worth the investment. Range time with Savage Son. After mounting a Trijicon SRO onto the P-10 F CR, and listening to my GS3 Custom earbuds, I settled down for some quality time at range. I have a regular P-10 F and I will say that there is very little difference between shooting it or the P-10 F. It’s actually almost the same. Both pistols are extremely flat-shooting due to the ergos as well as the low bore axis. They also shoot very accurately. I tested the P-10 F Comp with a variety range loads, including stuff from Federal, Remington and Sig Sauer, without any issues. I have logged over 1,300 rounds through my P-10 F Comp so far without any issues. Of course, I didn’t expect any. Every single P-10 pistol that I have shot has been flawless. Accuracy testing also included premium loads from Hornady and Sig Sauer. All of these loads performed just as well as the FMJ loads. The 115-grain Critical Defense load from Hornady was the best five-shot load at 25 yards. This group measured 1.31 inches. The best average, multiple-group size was 1.77 inches. This was achieved using Sig Sauer’s 124-grain Elite V Crown load. The P-10 F’s only differences with the competition version are primarily related to handling. Although the longer slide stop was quicker and easier to engage, it was only slightly faster. Although the taller magazine release was easier to use for quick action, it took a few milliseconds longer. The P-10 FCR is all about maximizing performance. Although the improvements are not significant, they give the shooter an advantage in a competition setting. Solid Performance The aluminum HB Industries trigger was my favorite upgrade. It eliminated pre-travel and provided a better response. Its metal construction was stiffer than the factory polymer trigger. The competition model’s trigger broke at a break weight of exactly 4.5 pounds, compared to the standard pistol’s break weight of 4.7 pounds. This was slightly less than the 4.7 pound average break weight of my standard pistol. The competition trigger felt even better. The factory trigger is still very good. It has a crisp release, but it’s still quite good. They performed well with the Axil GS3 Custom earbuds. They have been at the range three times and I just recharged them for the first. I keep them in my range bag, where I can reach them. I keep a USB cable in my SUV and charge them using a vehicle USB port. It’s an easy process and they can be tucked away in the bag. They stayed in place for a long time and were very comfortable once I had them in place. They did a great work of blocking out the gunshot reports. However, noise reduction was not good enough for me to shoot a.308 rifle. Particularly when I was shooting from a shelter with sound bouncing off the cement floor and ceiling, the noise reduction ability was borderline. I would choose to have a little more protection in this type of case. The new Competition-Ready model is a great pistol, just like the P-10 F. It’s easy to accidentally engage your extended magazine release. That’s the only problem I can see. To get the most out of the longer reach, you’ll need to be aware and hold onto it. It might be worth switching to a standard mag release if you intend on using the CZ P-10F Competition-Ready for defensive purposes. The CZ P-10 F Competition model is $999 more expensive than the standard P-10 F Optics Readyy. It costs $350 less. You get the aluminum baseplates and gold accents, a redesigned chamber, an upgraded trigger, and larger controls for that extra price. You won’t make great leaps in your capabilities with the accompanying features and the price. These are small, incremental improvements that only a few highly skilled people will be able appreciate and exploit. You could, however, be someone like me who is passionate about the P-10 platform and appreciates the work that CZ has done to improve “F” models. This has always been a reason to purchase a pistol. You will be a very happy customer, no matter what your reasons are, whether you are a race-day range guru or a trained pistolero, if CZ releases the P-10 F, I believe you’ll be a very satisfied customer. CZ-USA.com has more information. CZ P-10 FCR (Competition Ready), Specs Caliber 9mm
Barrel: 5 Inches
Overall Length: 7.56 in
Weight: 30 ounces (empty).
Grips: Polymer
Sights: Fiber-optic front and serrated rear
Action: Striker-fired
Finish: Nitride with gold accents
Capacity: 19+1
MSRP: $999 This article originally appeared in Combat Handguns March/April 2022 issue. Subscription is available in print and digital editions at OutdoorGroupStore.com. Or call 1-800-284-5668, or email [email protected]. Continue Reading Search The post Race Ready Beast Shooting the CZ P-10F Competition Ready appeared first at Personal Defense World.
